Disposable ash pan and cover

ABSTRACT

A newly designed disposable ash pan made from metal foil consisting of a base with four walls to be positioned beneath a fire for capturing and retaining hot ash falling from burning material in a fireplace and stove having an attachable cover made from metal foil to secure the ash within the disposable ash pan for safe and clean disposal.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a fireplace and stove ash pan,more specifically to a fireplace and stove disposable ash pan forcapturing and retaining hot ashes released from burning material in afireplace and stove and more specifically to a disposable ash pan havingan attachable cover to secure the ash within the disposable ash panproviding for safe and clean disposal.

[0002] The use of an ash catch is known in the prior art. Morespecifically, ash catches heretofore devised and utilized for thepurpose of catching ashes are known to consist basically of familiar,expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding themyriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have beendeveloped for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.

[0003] By way of example, the prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,947,106to Davis discloses a barbecue grill and fireplace ash cradle assembly.U.S. Pat. No. 5,785,046 to Colla discloses a portable fire pit. U.S.Pat. No. 5,694,918 to Blount discloses an ash catcher for fireplaceinsert. U.S. Pat No. 5,540,212 to Stroud discloses a grill aerator andwaste receptacle. U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,625 to Landman discloses an ashcatcher grate. U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,476 to Rhodes, Jr. discloses anartificial log assembly including combustible log members. U.S. Pat. No.5,036,832 to Schlosser and Alden discloses an ash catcher assembly for abarbecue grill. U.S. Pat. No. 5,010,874 to Toth discloses a fireplacegrate with adjustable ash pan. U.S. Pat. No. 4,763,640 to Shnack andWilson discloses a barbecue grill ash collector. U.S. Pat. No. 4,706,648to Blount, Exum, and Wooten discloses an ash catcher for an outsidecooker or similar article. U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,308 to Johnson disclosesan ash receptacle with dust eliminator. U.S. Pat. No. 2,377,665 to Bestdiscloses a fireplace ash pan. U.S. Pat. No. 2,292,377 to Howarddiscloses a folding grate. U.S. Pat. No. 1,521,204 to Rollings disclosesa grate. U.S. Pat. No. 960,174 to Higdon discloses an ash pan. U.S. Pat.No. 639,392 to Lotspeich discloses an ash pan. U.S. Pat. No. Des.382,956 to Collins discloses a fireplace ash pan. U.S. Pat. No. Des.355,566 to Stephen and Schlosser discloses a combined leg support andash catcher for an outdoor cooker.

[0004] In this respect, the disposable ash pan assembly according to thepresent invention substantially departs from the conventional conceptsand designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatusprimarily developed for the purpose of providing a means for capturingand retaining hot ash from a fireplace and stove for safe and cleandisposal.

[0005] Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuingneed for a new and improved disposable ash pan assembly which can beused for providing a means for capturing and retaining hot ash from afireplace and stove for safe and clean disposal. In this regard, thepresent invention substantially fulfills this need.

[0006] In View of the forgoing disadvantages inherent in the know typesof ash pans now present in the prior art, the present invention providesan improved disposable ash pan assembly. As such, the general purpose ofthe present invention, which will be described subsequently in greaterdetail, is to provide a new and improved disposable ash pan assembly forsafe and clean disposal of ash which has all of the advantages of theprior art and none of the disadvantages.

[0007] Further objects and advantages will become apparent from aconsideration of ensuing description and drawings.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] In accordance with the present invention a disposable ash pan forcapturing and retaining hot ash from a fireplace and stove having anattachable cover to secure ash within the ash pan for safe and cleandisposal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0009]FIG. 1 is a detailed view of an ash pan cover.

[0010]FIG. 2 is a detailed view of a disposable ash pan.

[0011]FIG. 3 is a detailed view of a disposable ash pan having a coveraligned on top.

[0012]FIG. 4 is a detailed side view of a disposable ash pan having acover attached.

[0013]FIG. 5 is a detailed sectional side view of a disposable ash panhaving a cover attached.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Referring to the drawings of FIGS. 1-5, FIG. 1 illustrates a viewof a cover 10, for the purpose of being attached to the disposable ashpan 24, FIG. 2 to secure ash within disposable ash pan 24, for safe andclean disposal made from a sheet of metal foil 36, consisting of anenclosure panel 12, consisting of two side edges 20, one front edge 18,one back edge 22, a folding line 16, and a folding locking edge 14.Cover 10, is of the same shape as the disposable ash pan 24, and isslightly larger providing for the folding locking edge 14.

[0015]FIG. 2 illustrates a view of a disposable ash pan 24, to be placedbeneath a fire in a fireplace and stove for the purpose of capturing andretaining ash falling down from the burning material made from a sheetof metal foil 36, consisting one ash pan base 28, integral with two sidepanels 32, a front panel 30, and a back panel 34. The ash pan 24, shapeis that of a trapezoid with the longest parallel panel being the frontpanel 30, and the shorter parallel panel being the back panel 34. Theback panel 34, is higher than the front panel 30. The front of the twoside panels 32, are of the same height as the front panel 30. The backof the two side panels 32, are of the same height as the back panel 34.The two side panels 32, progress in height equally consistent from theheight of the front panel 30, to the height of the back panel 34. Thetop edge of the back panel 34, the front panel 30, and the two sidepanels 32, have a locking edge 26, protruding outwardly providing for anequally flat surface to receive cover 10.

[0016]FIG. 3 illustrates a view of a disposable ash pan 24, front panel30, view, having cover 10, consisting of enclosure panel 12, consistingof two side edges 20, one front edge 18, one back edge 22, a foldingline 16, and a folding locking edge 14. Cover 10, is correctlypositioned on top of the disposable ash pan 24, by aligning folding line16, to the outer edge of the locking edge 26, to completely cover thedisposable ash pan 24.

[0017]FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of a disposable ash pan 24,consisting of a base 28, front panel 30, side panel 32, back panel 34,having cover 10, attached whereby the folding line 16, is aligned to theouter edge of the locking edge 26, providing for folding locking edge14, to be folded downward and pressed around and up on locking edge 26,whereby securing the cover to the disposable ash pan 24.

[0018]FIG. 5 illustrates a sectional side view of a disposable ash pan24, consisting of a base 28, front panel 30, side panel 32, back panel34, having cover 10, attached whereby the folding line 16, is aligned tothe outer edge of the locking edge 26, providing for folding lockingedge 14, to be folded downward and pressed around and up on locking edge26, whereby securing the cover to the disposable ash pan 24.

[0019] Using the disposable ash pan and cover in FIGS. 1-5 thedisposable ash pan 24, is placed below burning material in a fireplaceor stove to capture falling ash from the burning material and when fullis removed and the ash secured within by attaching cover 10, for safeand clean disposal.

[0020] This invention has major advantages over the prior art. In theprior art, a typical ash pan is made of a heavy grade material to insureprolong use adding to the expense of manufacturing. Prior art ash panscapture spent wood and other material burned and must be emptied whenfull. To empty prior art ash pans they must be removed from thefireplace and transported to a disposal container at which time ash canbe spilled or be disbursed into the air contaminating the air creatingan unhealthy environment for breathing. When emptying the prior art ashpans into a disposal container ash is again disbursed into the aircontaminating the air creating an unhealthy environment for breathing.Emptying ash that may not have completely extinguished into a disposalcontainer can cause a fire resulting in property damage, human injury ordeath. Transporting the prior art ash pans back to the fireplace willcause additional ash to be disbursed into the air again contaminatingthe air creating an unhealthy environment for breathing.

[0021] I do not limit myself to any particular details of constructionset forth in the specification and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, as the same refers to and sets forth only the embodiments ofthe invention, and it is observed that the same may be modified withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention. Example,the disposable ash pan and cover is not limited to any one size or shapesuitable for use in a wide variety of fireplaces and stoves and is notlimited to heat resistant metal foil as there are many newnoncombustible materials available for use. Materials used can bemanipulated for additional strength and additional materials introducedto give added strength and support to the structure.

Having thus described the invention, what I claimed as new and desiredto be secured by letters patent is as follows:
 1. A disposable ash panand a cover, said disposable ash pan to be positioned beneath a fire forcapturing and retaining hot ash falling down from burning material in afireplace and stove made from a noncombustible pliable sheet materialcomprising a plurality of integral side panels integral with a basepanel, said plurality of integral side panels extend vertically at anangle of approximate 90 degrees around the complete outer perimeter ofsaid base panel, said base panel is sized and shaped suitable for use ina wide variety of fireplaces and stoves, said integral side panelshaving a attachable means to secure said cover onto said disposable ashpan, said cover made from said noncombustible pliable sheet material thesame shape as said disposable ash pan and sized to accommodatecompletely covering the top of said disposable ash pan, comprising aenclosure panel, having said attachable means to secured said cover tosaid disposable ash pan whereby hot ash is secured within the coveredsaid disposable ash pan for safe and clean disposal.